SWNS
Two hit-and-run cyclists knocked down a four-year-old girl and left her bleeding with tyre marks on her face.
Aaliyah Raj had been out with her mother Samita, 24, on the seafront in Eastbourne, East Sussex, when she was struck by one of the bikes, which was being ridden in a no cycling zone.
One of the cyclists even rode over the little girl, leaving her with a swollen and bruised face, as well as cuts to her legs.
When Samita tried to stop the bare-chested men they yelled at her and rode away without stopping to check on Aaliyah.
Samita, from Eastbourne, said: "One knocked Aaliyah over and rode over her and the other cyclist swerved around her.
"She was on the floor screaming. I tried to run after them but they carried on towards the Pier.
"They stopped briefly just to hurl abuse at me and then they rode off."
Sussex Police are now appealing to anyone who knows the cyclists or may have seen the incident, which happened on Thursday evening.
Samita had flagged down a passing police car and gave detectives descriptions of the two men, who she said were both bare chested and in their mid-20s.
Samita said: "I am going to be contacting the council. Cyclists shouldn't even be on the promenade. I don't want them to get away with it.
"Aaliyah is on her way to becoming fine now and is almost back to her normal self, thank God, but it worries me that this could happen again to someone else's child."
Aaliyah added: "There were two bad men on bikes who knocked me over and then rode over me."
Sergeant Julian Williams, for Sussex Police, said: "This section of the promenade is a no cycling zone. We are investigating this incident and are keen for any witnesses or the cyclists to come forward.
"If you can help please contact us on 101 or email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 1455 of 3/7.
"Town centre CCTV has pictures of the cyclists which we will consider releasing to the media should they not come forward."